Translation guide
The English phrase "shed tears" refers to the act of crying or producing tears. In Japanese, there are several ways to express this, ranging from literal descriptions to more poetic or emotional phrases. The most common and neutral way is 涙を流す (namida o nagasu).
Expressing the physical act of crying or tears flowing, in a neutral or descriptive way.
The most standard and common way to say 'shed tears'. It is neutral and can be used in both spoken and written Japanese.
彼女は感動して涙を流した。
She shed tears of emotion.
I couldn't help but shed tears watching that movie.
The general verb for 'cry'. While it doesn't explicitly mention tears, it is the most common way to say someone is crying. Often used when the focus is on the act of crying rather than the tears themselves.
赤ちゃんが大声で泣いている。
The baby is crying loudly.
Literally 'tears come out'. A natural, slightly more casual way to describe tears welling up or flowing, often involuntarily.
玉ねぎを切っていたら涙が出た。
Tears came out when I was cutting onions.
嬉しくて涙が出た。
I was so happy that tears came out.
Literally 'spill tears'. It has a slightly more poetic or emotional nuance, often used in written language or when describing tears falling gently.
彼は静かに涙をこぼした。
He quietly shed tears.
Expressing crying with a focus on deep emotion, often in literary or dramatic contexts.
To be lost in tears, overwhelmed by sadness. A literary expression.
彼は悲しみに涙に暮れた。
He was lost in tears of sorrow.
Literally 'wring out tears', meaning to cry one's heart out or shed bitter tears. Used in dramatic contexts.
彼女は悔し涙を絞った。
She shed bitter tears of regret.
Expressing the absence of tears or the act of suppressing them.
To not show one's tears, to keep from crying in front of others.
彼は人前で涙を見せなかった。
He didn't shed a tear in front of others.
To hold back tears, to fight back tears.
彼女は必死に涙をこらえた。
She desperately held back her tears.
The English verb 'shed' does not have a direct one-word equivalent in Japanese for tears. Do not try to translate 'shed' separately; use the phrases above.
涙を流す explicitly mentions tears and is slightly more formal/literary. 泣く is the everyday word for 'cry' and can be used for audible crying or weeping, not necessarily focusing on tears. Use 泣く for general crying, and 涙を流す when you want to emphasize the tears themselves.